The Devil is Talking With Those Angel's Eyes
by Aintnorestforthewicked647
Summary: To catch a serial killer, Lisbon and Jane must go undercover...as a happily married couple. Things will be made known and there will be a healthy does of Jisbon, because who doesn't love that?
1. Chapter 1

Teresa Lisbon was having a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.

She had entered the bullpen, completely spent from her night of tedious surveillance. As Jane had predicted, the wife angle in regards to the Harry Davidson murder had been completely futile. The woman was cleaner than Mother Teresa herself, and had spent the evening reading to her small eight-year old autistic son to sleep. God-damn his knack for reading people.

Cho, bless his heart, did however find a similarity between this case and another of Sacramento PD's; a perp had murdered a few fellow lawyers of the small and kidnapped their spouses for ransom, until he received the sum of cash he requested and murdered the helpless housewives. The killings spanned a few years back, and the county sheriff's office had branded the case cold, after being unable to come up with any witnesses or even possible suspects.

Lisbon had commanded her agents to look into any possible leads with this new information, pouncing onto this new information and sinking her claws in deep. She rubbed her fore-head and tucked in a loose piece of her blue pin-stripe blouse back into her pants. A sudden fragrant aroma encircled her like a blanket and she followed her nose straight into the tiny CBI Kitchenette and watched as a junior agent brewed a fresh pot of strong Italian-roast coffee, mentally making a note to send her regards to the big man upstairs for this heavenly blessing. She had thanked the new "Probie" graciously, and poured herself a generous mug of pure black caffeine. She didn't bother putting any of her usual sweetners, instead preferring to drink it straight up to spike what little energy she could into her fatigued body. She took a large gulp and directed her feet towards the office, careful not to slosh the scorching liquid as she scanned the notes the Deputy Sheriff had sent over. She paused to slip the file folder under her arm, and used her now free hand to open the metal pull on her door.

She walked over to her desk, with a renewed spring in her step due to the caffiene buzz which had settled over her dull mind. She placed the mug onto an old saucer Jane had left in there a few days ago, and she had been too wrapped up in her work to remove it. It had proved to be rather effective for avoiding tell-tale coffee-cup rings on reports, and neatened up her desk slightly.

She pulled out her own pad of yellow, legal ruled paper and uncapped a Bic pen. Upon reading the first couple of chicken-scratch paragraphs, she found herself with more questions than answers, as she filled up the lines and spaces. She managed to decipher most of the writing, and even came up with a few possible ways to look at the situation. She underlined the people that she deemed worthy to speak with when she went into town. She sighed, recapping her pen and leaning back into her chair.

The problem regarding lack of sleep had been solved, but she could no longer ignore the epic drum solo going on inside her head at the moment. She had swiftly removed a tiny bottle of anti-inflammatory pills from her desk drawer and popped a few into her mouth, washing them down with a gulp of bitter liquid from her mug. She knew it would take some time for the meds to kick in, but felt better knowing that the pain would eventually dissipate.

She had briefly registered the visit from the cocky consultant, until she heard a loud 'thunk' directly in front of her. She glanced up briefly from her work to see her blonde haired colleague spread out across her sofa, his eyes closed and his face rather peaceful. She did bother telling him hello, unwilling to disturb the man from his interesting thoughts. So she returned to her note-taking, and promptly ignored his presence.

He inhaled sharply, and cause Lisbon to look at him. "I told you that the wife was a pointless lead." He said, a smirk forming over his face.

She ceased writing. "Well don't you like to toot your own horn." She said with a snort.

"You should listen to me more often, Lisbon. The majority of the time, I'm right." He said, confidently.

She didn't bother dignifying that with an answer, instead choosing to sip her coffee in place of snapping out a cruel comeback.

"Any progress from your furious note-taking?" He asked, still not opening his eyes.

"No, but I've got some folks who could serve as potential witnesses. I think I am going to go into town later and talk to them. Care to join, or is sleeping taking up too much of your time?" She asked, unable to resist the last jab.

"No, I'll come. I've always loved small towns. They have amazing tea." He said.

"Should I take that as a yes?" She asked, scrawling down a line about a woman whom had disappeared from the town a few years ago.

"Yes, Lisbon, I shall accompany you to talk to people." He said, in a mock exasperated fashion.

"Good, you need some fresh air." She said.

"Meh, that's debatable. Besides I already know who the killer is." He said, running a hand over his face.

"Uh-huh. And who is that?" She asked.

"The assistant. The jealous gleam in her eyes as she sat down next to Davidson's wife was the tell. Plus, she had some dried blood on her ankle, and she never shifted her legs once she crossed them. And she just struck me as a person whom was capable of murder."

"Well why don't we bring her in right now for an arrest." Lisbon said pointedly.

"I was simply stating my opinion, Lisbon. No need to be cross." He said, quietly.

Moments passed with out either person saying a word.

"What's wrong with you, Jane? You're barely speaking" She asked, putting her pen down.

"I could ask you the same question, my dear. You appear to want to bite my head off every time I open my mouth. Are you PMSing?" He asked, in a raspy voice.

Lisbon's face flushed. "No." She snapped, but winced at her tone. "I'm just a little tired Jane, that's all. I'm sorry, I shouldn't take it out on you." She said, picking back up her pen.

"It's quite alright, Lisbon. We all have our days." He said, before sighing. She took that as her cue to cease talking, and allow the man his rest.

She looked over at him, slightly captivated by the tranquil consultant. His navy jacket had been remove, and his sleeves on his light-blue dress shirt had been rolled up to reveal a dusting of blonde hair and a set of well toned arm muscles. She wondered quietly to herself how he could possible become buff when all he did was lounge around on couches and annoy others. His hands were intertwined together on top of his vest-clad chest, and his gold wedding band gleamed in the sunlight on his left hand. She felt a familiar pang of guilt as she looked at it, sorrow clutching at her heart at this man she called her friend's agonizing misfortune.

"Is the mighty Saint Teresa staring at me?" He asked.

She jumped slightly, jarred out of her day dream. She met his electric blue irises with a sheepish grin.

"I'm sorry. I'm a little spacey today." She admitted, blushing furiously.

"Your cheeks are red." He said, grinning.

She willed them to stop betraying her, but instead focused on her now lukewarm beverage. She took a sip to avoid speaking.

She didn't dare say anything as she went through and underlined key points she had made in her list of notes. The room was silent for a good five minutes, and Lisbon causally looked up to see if Jane had fallen back into a slumber. She was slightly surprised to find the couch vacant, having been too wrapped up in her thoughts to hear him leave. She sighed, and closed her eyes, cursing herself for getting caught staring at him.

/THE MENTALIST/

Half-an-hour later, she had come up with enough information to start digging and questioning. She grabbed her jacket from behind her chair, and began gathering her belongings. A small black, square box caught her eye as she shuffled the last of her notes together. She picked it up, intrigued. She picked up her coffee mug, and took another sip. It was a rather large mouthful, and she struggled to swallow it as she opened the tiny package. She did a classic movie spit-take as her eyes took in it's contents.

She stormed out of the office, anger mounting and coffee dripping down her cleavage.

"Jane!" She screeched, upon entering the bullpen. Her high pitched shriek had aroused several stares from fellow agents.

Jane simply grinned. He made a point to gesture to her dripping wet shirt, but quickly dropped his hand when he noticed her frosty glare. She was livid, and Jane could almost see the smoke coming out of her ears. Her green eyes were narrowed, and her left hand made a fist at her side.

"Seriously Jane? Did I miss Scare-the-hell-outta-Lisbon Day or something?" She asked, throwing the ring box into his lap a little too hard. He winced slightly as it collided with a sensitive area, and she nearly smiled.

"Lisbon." He said, offering her a half smile. He gingerly picked up the box from between his legs. "I would have thought you would of liked it! After all, it goes perfectly with your eyes." He said seductively, winking at her charmingly.

All the blood in her body seemed to rush to her face. "What the hell Jane? This isn't a funny joke" She said, her voice rising as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Marriage is no joke, Teresa." He said seriously.

She barely took into account the smirks that her coworkers had plastered onto her faces. She failed to notice the passing of twenty dollar bills to one exceedingly happy Grace Van Pelt from her less than thrilled men colleagues.

"A word?" She asked, all but dragging his sorry ass out to the space near the elevators. He followed her, slightly fearing for his life.

"Jane. Explain now!" She snapped, her eyes flashing with anger. Her voice was a combination of a whisper and a low hiss.

"Lisbon, when two people love each other deeply enough..." He began, striking his heart.

"Cut the crap, Jane. What are you up to?" She asked.

"Did Hightower not tell you?" He asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Did she not tell me what?" She said back, her voice returning to it's usual pitch.

"For the next two weeks, Teresa Lisbon, you and I are technically married!" Jane said, cracking into a grin. He pulled out the ring box once again. He pulled up his pant leg slightly, and got down on one knee.

Lisbon gave him a death glare, but he continued none-the-less. "Teresa Lisbon, would you do me the honor of making me the happiest man alive, and marry me?" He asked, smiling as he opened the small black box to reveal a little ring, with a tiny emerald encircled by even tinier diamonds.

He pulled her hand towards his, and slipped the ring onto her finger, despite not having received a response from her. People whom had been watching nonchalantly from the glass windows erupted into cheers.

She stared at him for a loss for words, her mouth locked into a tiny o. Her breath quickened and her mind raced. Then she did what she thought was necessary.

She punched him in the nose.

/

Hope you enjoyed, please R&R and let me know if I should continue.


	2. Chapter 2

**She** stormed out of the public eye, heading straight for her boss' office. The heels on her black leather boots pounded against the wooden floor angrily, the clicks growing heavier with every step. She shook her left hand, a slight throbbing had begun in the place where her knuckle had connected painfully with Jane's nose. She tried to slip the ring from her left finger, but was unable to due to the swelling. She cursed internally, dropping her hand to her side.

She rounded the corner of the hallway, and made her way towards Madeleine Hightower's room. She used her opposite hand to give a short knock, before pushing the door open. She slipped into the airy office.

"Ma'am, can I please speak to you about something?" She asked, raising a hand to grab her boss's attention. The jewelry around her left ring finger caught her eye, and she quickly shoved her hand into her pocket in embarrassment. She surprised herself at the tone of her voice, she was usually calm and collected under stress, but the events of today had severely rattled her.

She approached the desk, and crossed her arms over her chest. She tapped her toe impatiently, awaiting some type of recognition that Madeleine was even paying attention to her.

Hightower looked up, regarding her agent briefly before inclining her head once more to her work. "Agent Lisbon. If you could give me one moment, I would be happy to assist you in any way that I can." She said, making a note on an open case file in her usual loopy script. She shut it, and added it to a growing pile on the left-hand side of her mahogany desk. She pulled a sticky note from yet another manila folder, and studied it for a moment. She proceeded to pick up her grey telephone and enter some numbers onto the dial-pad.

Lisbon's frustration possessed her body, causing her to march up to her boss' desk and press in the transmitter. She abruptly terminated the conversation with whomever she was speaking with, a presumably important phone-call, but she didn't give a damn. She wanted to know what the hell was going on, and she needed questions answered. She stepped back, placing her hands at her side, preparing for a reprimand. She met the woman in front of her's steely gaze without falter.

The other woman's eyes betrayed her indignation, but her face remained totally passive. Her mouth twitched in surprise at her usually well-behaved agent. "Special Agent Lisbon, you better have a damn good reason for ending my call with the D.A's office, whom I have been trying to contact all day." She said, her voice deadly calm. She shut the folder and crossed her arms over her chest as she leaned back into her chair.

She swallowed, preparing to speak. "Ma'am you have yet to inform me about the undercover assignment with Jane." She said firmly.

"I assume you know now, and that's why you are here." The woman replied. "Mr. Jane has devised a logical plan to seek out the killer of Harry Davidson and various others. He requested that you accompany him on the case serving as his wife, seeing as though you are the leader of this team."

"Ma'am, I'm not sure I am comfortable with this assignment." Lisbon said.

"It's not like you are actually marrying him, agent. It is a simple task to capture a person of interest in a case." Hightower said.

"But Jane.." She began.

"Is an annoying pain-in-the-ass, I know Lisbon. But he believes that he is the only one who can identify the killer."

"That is complete and utter bull-" Lisbon said stopping herself. Her voice had jumped two whole octaves, and she was now fuming. She took a deep breath and calmed herself down. "With all due respect, ma'am, I am not sure if this is such a good idea." She said, looking her boss dead in the eye. She was fighting a losing battle.

"Thank you for your opinion, Agent. But I am afraid that I will not be able to take it into consideration, considering that my hands are tied on this case. The D.A's office, you know the call which you impolitely interrupted, was just ordering me to have my team put this killer behind bars, or they will pull the plug and pass it off to another agency that is more competent. You have your two weeks time to find this bastard, agent. If this man kills again during that time frame, I will be totally honest, it will be your job on the line." She replied sternly. She leaned forwards once more, folding her hands over a small stack of manilla folders.

She stared at the woman in astonishment. She was at a loss for words and could feel her jaw falling open. She snapped it shut again quickly, and shifted her weight. She didn't reply. "Are telling me that if I do not complete this task, I might not have a job when I come back?" She questioned.

Madeleine gave her a look. "You and Jane must be here at 5 a.m. tomorrow morning for wiring and further instructions." She commanded. "I expect for you to be there. Do I make myself clear?" She asked, arching an eyebrow.

Lisbon ground her teeth together in her mouth to stop herself from snapping out a sharp response. She took another deep breath. "Crystal, ma'am." She replied, unable to resist the sarcasm that flowed thickly in her tone.

Madeleine gave her one final stern glance, ignoring her agent's attitude. "You are dismissed." She returned her attention to the telephone, dialing once more.

Lisbon spun on her heel and walked swiftly from room. She shut the door behind her, pondering the reason behind why the doors wouldn't slam.

She made a beeline for her office. She walked swiftly over to her couch, and laid herself was once again welcomed by the softness of it's cushions, her weary body sinking into it's silky fabric. She propped her head against a fluffy brown pillow, and shut her eyes, hoping to get a few minutes of peace before finishing up some last-minute paperwork and heading home.

However, her mind had other ideas. Her thoughts drifted back to this dreaded undercover assignment. Getting married to Patrick Jane for two weeks? She'd be lucky if she survived the experience! Being with Jane on a daily basis was a chore all on it's own, but add in the factor that she was due to be his happy wife kicked her stress levels up a notch. She wondered if they would have to share a bedroom, to 'keep up appearances'. She moaned loudly. She was certainly not looking forward to this.

She massaged her throbbing temples in a soothing motion, trying to calm herself enough to catch a couple of precious minutes of shut-eye. She rolled over so that she was facing the door, looking at the people passing by. She shut her eyes again.

A soft knock startled her awake. She hadn't even noticed that she had fallen asleep, but sure enough she was curled up underneath a white throw blanket. She pondered how it had gotten there, but concluded that her concerned red-haired agent probably put it over her. She threw off the blanket and sat up to greet her visitor. She smoothed her most likely moussed hair, and motioned for him to come in._  
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Jane peeked his head through her glass door.

"Hey sleepyhead." He said, eyes crinkling as he smiled.

"Hey, bloodied nose." She said, smiling back sleepily.

"That hurts, Lisbon." He said, walking though the doors.

"Yeah, well, so does my hand. I can't even get this damn ring off." She said, folding the blanket to make room for her company.

"Really?" He replied sarcastically. "Imagine how my nose feels." He said, taking a seat to the left of her.

She swallowed, trying to rid herself of her exhaustion induced haze. "I'm sorry. That was childish and stupid, and I shouldn't have taken my anger out on you. If I knew it wasn't a joke, I probably wouldn't have done it." She said.

He snorted. "Probably. That's reassuring." He crossed his legs, and settled down.

"You've got blood on your collar." She said, reaching to point it out. "There's some on your shoulder too."

"Well you would know!" He said pointedly.

She rolled her eyes, dropping her hands.

"Listen. Hightower wants us to be here at five tomorrow morning. She's giving us the wires and some last minute info. I want you here at exactly five alright?" She said, staring at him.

"Yeah, yeah." He mumbled, waving his hand. "I won't be late."

She touched his shoulder. "How bout I pick you up? Bring some coffee?" She offered.

"And tea, of course." He said.

She rolled her eyes again. She got up from the couch and made her way over to her desk. She removed her bag from underneath her desk, and began packing her things to depart for the evening. She grabbed her cellphone and keys from the bag, and stuffed in some papers to read over before tomorrow.

She turned to get her jacket, and nearly fell into Jane. He was waiting there, silently holding out her jacket for Lisbon to slip her arms through. She did so, and untucked her hair from inside the coat.

"Thanks." She mumbled, acutely aware of the proximity the two shared. Jane leaned forwards and pressed a kiss to her forehead. His lips were soft against her skin, and she blushed furiously. His breath was hot against her face, and smelled slightly like peppermint.

"Tomorrow, it's for real, Teresa." He whispered through her hair before leaving.

/THE MENTALIST/

Thank you for all the kind reviews! I will try to have another chapter either by tomorrow or Tuesday! By the way, does anyone know if there is an episode next week, and if so, what is it about? :)


	3. Chapter 3

_**Well,** this day ought to be interesting._

She thought, as she drank her steaming vanilla latte at a red stop light. She licked the sticky foam from her upper lip with her tongue, and fashioned her messy brown curls into a loose ponytail. She took one more tiny sip from her coffee before setting it back down in the car's cup holder to save it for later. She put her hands back on the wheel, and began absentmindedly drumming her fingers in time to the music seeping softly through her radio. The tune was a familiar one, however she couldn't place the name.

When the light finally faded to green, she put her car in gear and continued her trip to the hotel that Jane called his home. She hummed with the songs that appeared on her radio, trying to distract herself from the day ahead. They would officially begin their time as a 'couple' this afternoon, and Lisbon was far from prepared.

Hightower had expected them early, and she had nearly overslept. She had thrown on the first articles of clothing that caught her eye, and brushed her teeth briefly before sprinting out the front door, hoping the 24 hour coffee shop down the street sold the kind of tea that Jane liked.

Now, her hurrying had seemed trivial, seeing as though she would still make it to Jane's with time to spare. She coaxed her rather imposing SUV into a parking spot near Jane's room, and shut off the car. She simply sat in silence, drinking her heated beverage and looking at the run-down set of motel rooms that were before her. Their dilapidated doors saddened her, along with the chipping paint on the doors. Only Jane would willingly choose to live here, claiming that it would be some sort of penance for him. She sighed, shaking her head slowly to herself. She tapped the side of her cup, feeling a sense of warmth flood her body as the morning sunlight shine through her window. She couldn't sleep the previous night, her mind constantly worrying and never once settling down the entire night. She spent the evening staring at the fan spinning on her ceiling, and watching the light creep through her drapes at dawn. She was certainly unprepared to face her impending assignment.

It wasn't like she hated Jane, she liked him quite well in fact. Jane was a hilarious man who always seemed to make her smile. She enjoyed his company, and once or twice had even considered inviting him over to her house to join her for dinner. Despite his tragic and horrifying past, Jane managed to get out of bed in the morning and didn't turn to drugs or drink for relief from re-living those nightmares. He was a nice guy, and to top it off, he wasn't hard on the eyes. When he smiled, his eyes crinkled around the edges in the most adorable way, and she found herself lost in an endless ocean of blue when she looked into his eyes. She laughed to herself.

The lack of sleep was playing tricks on her mind, bringing up thoughts that made her even more worried about becoming 'married' to Jane.

She pulled the keys from her ignition and stepped down on to the pavement. Lisbon reached back in and grabbed the two cups of caffeine. She shut her door, and locked the car, depositing her keys into her jeans' pocket. She straightened her favourite grey sweater and peered at the poorly painted white doors once again, remembering which one belonged to her colleague. She headed for the stairs, and once on the landing, successful found the appropriate one. Lisbon stacked one cup on top of another and balanced them as she hastily knocked on the door. She heard the locks turning and smiled to herself.

An equally tired looking Jane answered the door, a green and blue toothbrush hanging from his lips, and foamy toothpaste dribbling down to his chin. His aqua eyes squinted against the harsh morning sunlight beaming at him from above, and they blinked a few times in rapid succession as he tried to grow accustomed to the daylight. His blue dress shirt hung over one bare shoulder, and he stood before Lisbon bare-chested. She immediately blushed, dropping her gaze to her shoes. He pulled his toothbrush out of his mouth and gave her a frothy smile. He gestured for her to come inside, and headed to the back of the cramped room towards an even smaller bathroom. She heard the water running as Jane finished his morning rituals, looking around where Jane lived. It was simple, containing only a bed, a desk, chair, and closet, concealed by a wicker door.

He re-entered the room, took the shirt off his shoulder and placed it onto the bed. "When you said five-am you weren't kidding." He said. He opened the closet and removed whatever clothing was left inside and dropped it into a black duffle bag that sat atop his bed. He pulled out his vest and placed it onto the bed near his shirt.

She cleared her throat. "I brought you some tea. The shop didn't have the kind you like, but the barista said that she drank the same type, and that this was the next best thing."

"I'm sure it will do. You can place it on the desk over there. " He pointed. He picked up the shirt and thread his arms through. Nimble fingers swiftly buttoned up the shirt. She caught herself staring, and quickly looked away. She put her cup to her lips, and took a gulp.

She swallowed. "We should probably get a move on, Hightower said be there early, and I don't wanna be late." She said.

"Relax Lisbon. We will be fine. Besides, she can't begin the assignment without us." He said, zipping up his bag.

He walked towards her and paused when standing before her. "Lisbon..." He began seriously. "You're blushing." He finished, giving an impish grin"

Lisbon gave punched him on the shoulder lightly and laughed, her face as red as a tomato. "Shut up Jane."

/THE MENTALIST/

**The** car ride was driven in an easy silence, both occasionally sipping their beverages.

When they finally arrived at the CBI, Jane opened the door for Lisbon like a gentleman, and carried her small bag inside despite her protests that she could handle it on her own. They entered the building laughing good-naturedly at one another's jokes.

"Lisbon, Jane, good morning." Their brown haired boss greeted them. She pointed to a handsome dark haired man beside her. "This is Charlie from the Tech Division, and his is going to help you get wired. I am going to my office for a moment to gather the remainder of your papers. If you need anything, just call."

An incredible attractive stepped forward and gave a charming smile to Lisbon. "Morning. You must be Teresa Lisbon." He said, sticking out his hand. He was wearing a black t-shirt, displaying his well-toned biceps and an interesting tattoo, and a pair of blue jeans. His dark hair was lightly tousled, and his green eyes were stunning against his dark t-shirt.

She couldn't help but be captivated by his good looks and charisma, and gave him a broad smile back. "Teresa is fine. Sorry we dragged you out of bed so early." She said, taking his hand and flushing again.

To her left, Jane stiffened. She could almost picture him rolling his eyes, as she listened to his annoyed sigh.

"It's no trouble. I'm glad to get up in the morning to see someone as pretty as you." He said, chuckling lightly.

He began fiddling with a set of computers, typing a few final things on the keyboards. "Teresa, do me a favor, and take off your shirt." Charlie said, voice dark and sultry. His smile was seductive as he reached back to pick up one of the back wires with a piece of Masking tape attached to one end. He raised an eyebrow and winked.

Jane muttered something inaudible. He cleared his throat and stepped forwards, putting himself purposefully in front of Lisbon. He plastered on a fake enthusiastic smile. "I don't think we have been properly been introduced. I'm Patrick, Teresa's husband." Jane said, snaking an arm around her waist and drawing her nearer to him.

Lisbon felt the blood drain from her face. She fought the urge to yell at Jane, and instead she pressed her lips into a thin line. She leaned into his embrace and sighed.

Charlie gave an uneasy laugh. "Wait, you two are married?" He asked.

He looked at her happily, and planted a big kiss on the side of her head."She is my Tess." He replied. She simply looked away, feeling uneasiness bubble up inside her.

Charlie shifted his weight uncomfortably. "Well alright. But I still need her to take her shirt off." He said, holding out the wire. Lisbon took it gingerly.

Lisbon cursed herself for wearing a sweater today instead of a button down, and she cursed Jane for telling Charlie that they were married, because now she couldn't ask him to leave without raising questions for Charlie. She steeled her nerves and reached for the hem of her shirt, pulling it off in one fluid motion and letting it drop to the floor. She ignored the hungry stares of both male parties in the room. Clad in only her navy blue bra, she attached the wire to her chest. She avoided looking at either guy, walking up to Charlie. He attached a small device that will make the cable undetectable, and gave her one last lingering smile. She turned away quickly from him, and faced Jane.

He seemed to be trying to avert his gaze, but could simply not pass up the opportunity to see his boss half naked. His blue eyes met hers, and they dropped and roamed her upper body. She quickly grabbed her shirt and put it back over her head, her face heating up once again. She shot him a dirty glare, and he gave her a "can you blame me" look back as he shrugged his shoulders.

Jane, wearing his usual light blue dress shirt, simply unbuttoned the top few sets, and slipped the wire in. He handed over his old cellphone, and gained a tech-savvy smart phone, equipped with a listening and tracking device. He was given a few extra instructions about safe words, and a number to dial in case of emergency. He smiled like he had just been handed a million dollars and been told "spend wisely". He commenced playing Angry Birds on his handheld device, and Lisbon rolled her eyes.

Let the games begin.

/THE MENTALIST/

I apologize for not getting this to you sooner, I got caught up with work. I will update tomorrow! :) Happy Early Turkey Day to everyone!


	4. Chapter 4

**Jane** was being a pain in the ass, and it wasn't even noon.

The car drive was three excruciatingly long hours, and Jane had annoyed her every single second of it. He had asked her the most random questions, anything from what her favourite colour to who was to who was the last person she had sex with. Lisbon nearly kicked him out of her car and into the moving traffic at that point, her face flushed a deep scarlet. He had insisted that it was a perfectly relevant question, claiming that they were about to go undercover as a married couple and should know everything about one another. She promptly ignored him for the remainder of the trip.

Thankfully, twenty minutes later, they pulled onto Primrose Drive, and the neighborhood they were expected to live in for the duration of their assignment appeared. It was a sleepy little place, full of little bungalows with blossoming flower gardens outside. It was like something out of the movies, picturesque and perfect. Happy little families crowded the streets, the children running up ahead while the parents lingered behind, hand in hand, stealing kisses when the children weren't looking. A bright blonde haired little girl turned and waved at Lisbon, her cheeks rosy from skipping with her sister. Lisbon gave a tiny wave back, a smile on lips. It seemed almost virtually impossible that this could be the home of a serial killer.

Lisbon continued driving, until they found the correct number of one of the little cottages that lined the streets. It was gorgeous, with it's quaint navy shutters and stark white exterior gave it a homey vibe. It was a tad run down, as it seemed to have been there for ages, but it was none-the-less a lovely house.

Lisbon drove the car into the concrete driveway and put it into park. She popped open the door and jumped out, grateful for the fresh air that filled her lungs. She immediately felt better as the sun shone down on her face, a smile suddenly gracing her lips at the peaceful atmosphere.

Jane got out and stood beside her. He gave her a bright smile. He inhaled deeply, visibly relaxed as well.

Lisbon clicked a button on her keys and the gate of the car became open. Jane picked up her bag and his own, handing hers to her. She smiled at him. They headed for the stairs that led to an elegant screened in porch, complete with white wooden rocking chairs. Jane held open the door for her as she passed.

Jane put out his hand and Lisbon forked over the keys. He nimbly undid the lock.

"Teresa, wait here for a minute." He said, picking up his bag and her own. He quickly walked inside, placing the two black duffles on the stairs while Lisbon stared after him curiously. She looked around the foyer, seeing a living room to the left and a dining place to the right just beside the stairs.

Jane exited the house, grinning wickedly. And then his arms were around her, scooping her into his arms in one swift motion.

"Jane! What the hell?" She asked, squirming in his strong grasp.

"It's Patrick, my dear. And you are my bride! I must carry you over the threshold of our lovely new home! I'm nothing if not thorough." He said.

"Well put me down! I have two feet, I can walk damn-it." She said, uncomfortable.

"As you wish." He said, depositing her body on the couch with a loud thunk. Her hair flew into her eyes, and she sighed deeply. She blew her air out in a long breath, trying to get it away from her face. She got herself up, pushing lightly on the dark brown cushions.

Jane laughed. He came over and smoothed the hair away from her eyes. She was surprised by the gesture, but allowed him to go through with it.

"We didn't eat, so what do you say I make us some lunch while you unpack?" He asked, heading for the kitchen. She watched him go.

"I didn't know you could cook Jane." She said, grabbing her things from the stairs.

"Teresa. You don't give me much credit." He said, looking back from the kitchen. "I've been living alone for five years now. A man's gotta eat." He said, his tone semi-sarcastic. "I hoped the previous tenants stocked the pantry." He said, his voice trailing off.

She rolled her eyes and continued up the stairs. She walked down a little hallway until she came across the master bedroom. It was nice, airy and well furnished. It had a great big fluffy white bed. Just one though.

She looked at it and sighed. She dropped Jane's bag near the door, and put hers down on the bed, unzipping it. She quickly claimed one half of the dresser for herself, inserting her belongings but leaving eloquent space for her companion. It didn't take long for Lisbon to put away her clothes and other items, and before she knew it she was closing the drawers. She gave the bed one last disdaining look before walking back down stairs.

"Hey Jane, what do you say we flip a coin for who gets the bed..." She said as she entered the kitchen. She took in the scene of her consultant with an apron on, stirring a pot of God knows what, while humming tunelessly. The small round table had been set neatly with fine china, and glasses had been filled with some sort of wine. Whatever he was cooking smelled delicious and she came up beside him.

"Gosh Jane, you didn't have to go to all this trouble. A simple sandwich would have sufficed." She said, taking in the pot of soup. She watched as he tasted his creation and added a dash of salt.

He looked at her. "Nonsense Teresa! I know you like soup, so I found the ingredients in the cabinets and decided to make it." He said, offering her a spoonful. She tasted it and nodded.

"That's good. Wow, you really can cook." She said, opening the cupboards and retrieving two blue bowls. He filled them both heartily.

"You lack of faith that I could feed myself wounds me." He said, carrying his portion over to the table and sitting down. They ate for a few moments in silence.

"Now what were you saying about the bed?" He asked, taking a sip of drink. He looked at her intently.

She swallowed. "There's only one bed, and I was thinking that we could like trade off or something... you know, like I sleep in it one night and then you the next..." She said, feeling a blush creep up her cheeks once more.

Jane was silent for a moment. "You can have the bed Teresa, I don't mind sleeping on the floor." He said, picking up his spoon again.

Lisbon rolled her eyes. "Jane you can't sleep on the floor for two weeks straight, it'll kill your back." She said.

"It's not a problem, I sleep on worse in my home in Malibu." He said, getting up to refill his bowl.

"Jane, I'm not going to let you do that." She said, becoming slightly annoyed.

"Teresa, don't worry about it. We will cross that bridge tonight." He said, and then pointed the the stove. "More soup?" He asked.

She shook her head, the combination of the liquids making her stomach feel odd. She got up and rinsed her bowl in the sink.

A knock at the door startled them both. Jane cleaned his hands off on a napkin and headed for the door with Lisbon in tow. Jane opened the door.

A dark haired woman in her thirties and a ruddy-faced little boy stood on the porch. The child was carrying a pie.

"Hello!" Jane said politely. "And who might you be?" He asked.

The lady blushed. "I'm Madelyn and this is my son Jack." She said. "Jack, can you say hi?" She asked her baby.

The little boy went and hid behind his mother, becoming timid at the sight of new faces.

"Sorry about that. He's usually more outgoing." She said.

"It's not a problem, we're strangers to him after all." He assured her as he extended his hand. "I'm Patrick Thompson and this is my lovely wife Teresa." He said, gesturing towards Lisbon. He grabbed her hand and lead her onto the porch.

"Hi." Teresa said as she and Madelyn shook hands. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise. Did you two just move in?" She asked, finally getting her son back into the open once again.

Lisbon smiled. "Jane..I mean Patrick and I just moved in this morning." She said.

"Oh well, you'll have to come over for dinner! You guys probably don't want to be cooking while you are unpacking and all!" She said, grabbing the pie from her son's hands. "Here. It's just a little something I whipped up. It's chocolate pie with a hint of caramel. I hope you like it." She said sheepishly.

"It looks delicious!" Commented Lisbon, taking the pie from the woman. The woman gave a thanks in reply.

"Tell me, Madelyn, how did you know about us moving in?" Jane asked, his mentalist side taking over. He gave her a small smile.

Madelyn looked slightly flustered at Jane's unusual question but formed a response anyways. "My husband works in reality. He tells me about all the new neighbors! It isn't often that we get new people here!" She said.

"Why is that?" Jane asked.

Madelyn sighed. "Well, the houses are passed down through the generations. People have lived here since the 1800s and don't willingly give up their family houses! Why the last tenants of your home..." She began, but trailed off. She dropped her eyes.

"The last tenants..." Lisbon prompted, eager to know more as well.

"Well, that's not my place to discuss with you all. The person to ask is my husband, Chris. Which you can do over, say, dinner tomorrow night?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We'd love to come." Said Jane. "Teresa is always one for meeting new people, and I am looking forward to seeing this Chris of yours. What do you say that we'll bring a bottle of wine?" He offered.

"That would be great!" Madelyn said. "Around seven work?" She asked.

Jane nodded and Madelyn beamed. "This will be fun! I can't wait." She said, picking up her son and walking down the porch steps. She turned and waved before continuing down the street. Jane and Lisbon waved back and stepped back inside their house.

"What was that all about?" Inquired Lisbon.

Jane shrugged. "It'll give us a chance to meet a family, and get a sense of what life around here is like. Plus there was something she wasn't telling us before about the previous renters." He said, tapping a finger to his lips. "I bet I can get it out of her if I get her drunk enough..." He said, his mental wheels turning.

"Jane you will do nothing of the sort! We have a cover here and you are not about to blow it!' Lisbon said in a boss-like fashion.

Jane chuckled. "Relax Teresa, I was merely joking." He said.

"Stop calling me that." She said, heading back into the kitchen.

"We're going to have to go grocery shopping later, Teresa. The supplies I used for lunch were some of the last in the house and if you want edible food for dinner I suggest we find the nearest market." He said, following her. He began to clear the dishes, and took them over to the sink to be washed.

"Okay. I'll see if I can find a grocery store around here. There's gotta be a Martin's or Kroger or something like that." She said, walking into the living room. She sat down on the couch and pulled the phone book from the table. She scanned the list of places before finding a Kroger. "Yep, got one. I call to check and make sure that they're open, but I highly doubt that the won't be."

Jane muttered something from the kitchen that Lisbon couldn't make out. "You know that Rigsby, Grace and Cho have a bet on whether or not we will sleep together while we're here." He said. She couldn't help but wonder where the thought of that had come from.

"Yeah? Guess that means I'll take the floor tonight." She called back, her cheeks burning. She made a mental note to ask about this once she returned home.

"Cho's betting that we do, and so is Grace." He said, coming out of the kitchen and plopping down beside her on the couch. He smelled like dish soap.

"Huh, that's unusual." She replied, setting the phone book back down. _And who would win?_ She asked herself.

"Let met just get a jacket, and we can go." She said, walking back up the stairs.

"I'll be here." Came the reply.

/THE MENTALIST/

I hope this wasn't too... I don't know... but anyways, please review. Also what did you think of that hooker that was with Cho last week? New lady for the agent?


	5. Chapter 5

**The **ride to the grocery store was pleasantly silent and uneventful.

When they had entered the vehicle, Lisbon had set the car's radio station to one of southern country music in a tribute to her brother, who believed that this was by far the best American music. Jane had wrinkled his nose at Toby Keith's "Red Solo Cup" and changed the music instantly. Suddenly modern day music seeped through the speakers, but it was quiet and peaceful, and contained little to no cursing. Jane relaxed, and sang softly along with the music. His voice was soothing, and Lisbon couldn't help but listen to it's melodic tones. She had been surprised that he was familiar with the majority of the tunes. She even joined when Coldplay's "Fix You" came through the static. Her lips formed a hard line at the cruel irony and forced herself not to look at her companion.

She pulled into the nearly empty parking lot, and found a spot reasonably near the store. She shut off the engine and grabbed her small bag from the console in between the two of them. Jane exited the vehicle and appeared at her side, and the pair walked towards the small grocery shop chatting about what types of music was preferred. Jane commented about how he preferred jazz to most modern day songs, seeing as though the music industry had been taken over by the Kayne Wests and Lady Gaga's of this world.

She chuckled. "Jazz?" She arched an eyebrow. "Wow, I haven't heard that since the 1920s."

Jane rolled his eyes. "Teresa Lisbon wouldn't know good music if it smacked her on the face. Also considering that terrible screech you had on the radio when I first got into the car!" He said.

She shrugged her shoulders. "What's wrong with country music?" She asked simply.

He huffed. "The better question is, 'What isn't wrong with country music'. The genre is based on old coots singing about how they drank beer and got into bed with redneck women." He said pointedly. At this point they were poised to enter the store.

She couldn't contain a giggle; his analysis was rather amusing. "Hey, it was for my brother, Tommy. Plus, I think that they tell great stories."

He shook his head condescendingly, "Sure if you like stories about alcohol and sex." He said, grabbing a small basket from the pile to his left.

She rolled her eyes. "I will find you one country song that isn't about those two things, and then you won't have anything to complain about." She said, challengingly.

He laughed. "Good luck." He said. "Now what should we get?" He asked, eyes scanning the produce in front of him.

She saw a container of juicy looking apples. She pointed. "Those look good, plus they're healthy, and we can eat them for breakfast." She said, heading in that direction.

"I should've known that Saint Teresa would be a health-nut." He said, swiftly picking up a plastic bag and filling it with 4 of the green spherical fruits and placed them into the black basket. "How about some meat for sandwiches?" He inquired before heading off to the deli.

She lingered behind, eyeing the tasty looking oranges and strawberries. Jane re-appeared, and added packages of turkey and ham to their cart. He saw her looking at the strawberries and smiled devilishly.

"Having déjà-vu?" Asked Jane, picking up a carton of ripe red fruit. He popped open the top and picked up one.

"Jane!" She scolded, her cop side showing.

But he only smiled wider. He held a strawberry before her mouth and she bit into it, feeling the juice dribble down her chin. She felt her face turn as red as the fruit. Jane raised a single index finger, and removed the liquid from her face. She blushed furiously, his fingers surprisingly soft against her skin.

She finished chewing and swallowed. "We have to get a bottle of wine to bring to Madelyn's party." She said, and Jane burst out laughing.

"Teresa, dear, you have a seed in your teeth." He said pointing it out.

She turned fire-engine red, surprised that her face could blush any harder. She placed a hand over her mouth, and tried to remove the small substance from her teeth. She felt it finally come loose, and took a deep breath to try and reduce some of the embarrassing colour from her cheeks.

She smiled widely. "Better?" She asked.

Jane gave her a dazzling smile back. "Perfect my dear, now about that wine…" He began.

/THE MENTALIST/

Half an hour later, they were unloading groceries from the back of Lisbon's SUV. They had come home with more than they had set out to buy, but had gotten a relatively low price for the amounts of food they had bought. Lisbon suspected the red-haired co-ed behind the register had been charmed by Jane's good looks and had given them a significant reduction. She rolled her eyes and smiled to herself.

When the last can of soup had been put away, Lisbon rolled her shoulders back and sighed. She had been hunched over in the pantry for so long that her back had begun to ache. Jane had done little besides handing her items to organize and once or twice stealing a look at Lisbon's backside when he thought she wouldn't be looking. He above all people should have known that someone was always watching.

She blushed furiously. "Hey Jane…" She said, finding her 'husband' stretched out on the warm brown couch, sipping tea from a china cup. A book was in his lap, and his eyes were partially closed.

"Patrick, remember? Honestly, Teresa, for a brilliant law-professional like yourself you should know that even the tinist detail such as a name might be enough to give us away"

She sighed again. "Patrick then. I was going to shower, unless you wanted to go first?" She asked gesturing with her thumb towards the stairs.

"Nah, you go ahead Lisbon. I'm tired, I think I am going to grab a nap." He said, settling his arms behind his head like a pillow.

She gave a nod and then headed for the stairs. She walked down the hall until she found the tiny half-bath and walked inside. It was simple enough, with plain white tile and blue walls. She walked in and turned the knob from the shower, and set it to warm before she stripped out of her clothes. She hopped in, allowing the tiny beads of hot water to wash over her for a moment. She closed her eyes and leaned into the water's steamy embrace and immediately felt herself relax. She sighed in contentment. She took her time going through the motions of washing her body with bar soap and rinsing her hair throughly with shampoo. Once she deemed herself clean, she grabbed one of the fluffy white towels from a near by ledge and wrapped it around her body. She wrung out her hair, and stepped out into the warm bathroom. Lisbon headed for their bedroom. She went to the bureau, and selected a pair of stretchy, black, yoga-like pants and a tank top. She would have to dress in something far more fancy for the evening, feeling a sense of dread as she thought of having to don a dress and some makeup for the upcoming event. She grabbed a bra and some panties before dropping her towel. She quickly put on the undergarments and threw the cotton fabric over her head and put on the pants.

Lisbon put her towel in the hamper and walked back to the big king-sized bed. She thrust herself onto it, tucking her legs underneath of her before grabbing a stack of paperwork from her bag. She had fallen behind on her the tedious work, and was hoping to catch up on her 'time off'. She sighed and clicked her pen before diving in.

/THE MENTALIST/

A little while later, Lisbon heard the water running in the bathroom. Smiling to herself as she put a growing stack of completed work, she picked up a battered novel from her bag and settled herself back into the pillows.

The water shut off in the room near her, and a light shone into the hall. A wet Jane emerged, another towel wrapped around his hips leaving his toned bare chest exposed. Tiny water pellets had collected onto his shoulders and were slowly dripping downwards from his damp and unruly blonde curls. He caught Lisbon staring and gave her a smile.

She had never seen Jane without his usual neat three-piece suit, much less half naked. Her leering caused her to flush and she attempted to continue to read her book. She had looked at the same sentence ten times and couldn't seem to get her brain to focus. _Remain professional Teresa._ J

ane cleared his throat. "What do you saw we flip the coin for the bed, eh? Unless you share my belief that we are two responsible adults that can share a bed for a few days without getting into trouble." He said looking underneath his black lashes that framed his blue eyes.

She swallowed. "If you think that that's appropriate, then I can't disagree." She said, bookmarking her page and untwisting her legs from their pretzel like position atop the comforter.

He smiled. "Good. You know, I haven't 'slept' with anyone since Angela died, and I actually miss human company." He said, seemingly surprised by the confession he had just made to her.

The moment turned awkward, and suddenly Lisbon felt that familiar guilty twinge in her heart. She didn't feel right sharing a bed with a man who was still grieving over his dead-and-gone wife. "Listen, Jane, if you don't want to, I can take the floor…" She said, hopping off the bed, but she was cut off.

"Nonsense, I was the one who suggested it after all." He said, grabbing his suit and a pair of clean underwear from his duffel. She noticed the latter and quickly looked away, blushing furiously. "Plus I mean what I said. As much as my wife's death will always haunt me, Hightower put me on this assignment, and I fully intend to carry it out." He said, gripping his clothes on one hand and his towel with the other. He then seemed to notice her attire and quickly looked elsewhere. She was instantly glad that she wasn't the only one caught looking at the other person in a non-friendly manner.

He gave her a quick smile. "That isn't what you are wearing to Madelyn's are you?" He asked.

She smiled back. "No, I brought a couple of dresses for you know…things." She said, suddenly blushing again.

His lips quirked up once more. "Is Teresa Lisbon wanting to go to dinner with me?" He asked, striking his heart.

"No." She answered quickly, but regretted it. "I was just thinking you know…keeping up appearances." She finished weakly. "Whatever, your teasing is childish, go get dressed." She said, looking down embarrassedly.

He saluted her mockingly and headed back from the direction which he had just come from. She rolled her eyes, _What's a girl to do?_

/THE MENTALIST/

I AM SO SORRY THAT IT TOOK ME SO LONG TO UPDATE! YOU GUYS WERE WONDERFUL AND REVIEWED AND I DISAPPOINTED YOU AND I AM SO SORRY! I hope that it won't happen again, but with examinations pending I'm afraid that it might. You may just have to bear with me for a little while folks, but again I am deeply sorry!  
>Cheers, and I hope you all had a great holiday, I sure did! How many of us here are looking forward to exams in two weeks? WOO... :'(<p>

*Also, I apologize if there are any typos, my computer sometimes erases words, and I am not quite sure how to fix it. I'm not a McGee (NCIS)...


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